This whole thinking in English thing, is becoming more difficult by the day. I've been in Taipei for three months now, and I'm really enjoying myself. I find that my Chinese is improving at a rapid pace, and in turn is making me see life here through a new pair of eyes. An in depth look at my daily life here, made me realize that I have yet to let you all really understand how I life my life here, on a day to day basis.
Waking up is probably the most difficult part of my day; in order to to get my school on time, I need to wake up at around five every morning. Then the fun begins. I try my best to fashion my hair into an easy style that can also manage the humidity, while also being acceptable at school. Yes, my school, like many in Taipei has rules about hair styles. Boys can not grow their hair longer than 25 centimeters. Girls may not braid, curl, or wear shiny/colorful pins or barrettes. After I fix the chaotic mess that is my hair, I put on my school uniform.
My school has two different uniforms each season, one for days that you have gym; and the other, dressier uniform for normal school days. The best description that comes to mind for my P.E. uniform is: male cheerleader clad in all blue. My school colors are blue and red, and both of the uniforms incorporate the school colors. The P.E. uniform is a light blue, short sleeved cotton polo, with our school crest on a left breast pocket; paired with darker, almost peacock blue with red and navy blue vertical stripes running down the side of the leg. The dress uniform is by far the better looking of the two. Navy blue trousers, with a white button up polo. For the dress uniform, boys get black pea coats with out school crest on the left breast pocket, and girls receive crimson red V-neck sweaters.
I leave the house at six-fifteen, and thus I begin the hour and forty five minute trek to my school on the other side of Taipei city. A half hour on a bus takes me from my house on the mountain to the nearest MRT station. MRT stands for Metropolitan Rapid Transport, and is basically like a subway system that runs above, and below the ground all over Taipei city. The MRT is so cheap and convenient to ride. The forty five minute ride across town to the MRT closest to my school only costs twenty two NT (New Taiwan dollars) which is less than one US dollar. Then I have another half hour bus ride to my school.
School here begins at eight in the morning, and dismisses around five in the evening; however, there are always students that arrive early to study and stay much later to cram. High schools are separated into three grades, with first grade being like freshman year. First grade students are all about fifteen years old. Third grade students are the hardest working, each one in preparation for their "big test" which determines which universities they can attend. Every Taiwanese student is very hard working, and in turn stressed to the maximum limit. There are tests in nearly every class each day. So, it is no wonder that these kids study so much.
I am lucky in that way, to be an outsider. I do not take the tests they take, nor do I have to pay excruciating attention to my teacher's lectures. My schedule consists of Geography, Biology, Music, Art, Chinese, Taiwanese History, Computer Technology, Physical Education, English (best class), and Military. All of which are dispersed through a week. Luckily, I was allowed to choose my classes, unlike the students here; I was allowed to ditch Chemistry and Geometry. Also, every class here is with the same group of kids. Unlike back home, teachers travel from class to class each period, not students. A lot of my classes are with different grades, so I may connect with more of my fellow students.
At noon we get a much needed "rest hour." The first half of it is spent eating lunch, and in the last half hour it is mandatory that each student is sitting in their own classroom. Lights off, everyones' head on a desk. They take this very seriously too, we have military guards at our school who walk around during this time to enforce that rule.
There is always something interesting that happens to me in school. Whether it is being asked to take a picture with a group of curious girls, getting asked out by a shockingly bold Taiwanese boy, or asked to sing a song in front of my classmates. I feel almost famous here, everyone wants to be my friend and get to know me. In turn, I have met so many lovely people, and can not remember life being too much better without them in it.
After leaving school at five, I take the journey home the same way I got there. Sometimes, I like to spend time with my schoolmates after we leave, but mostly they have "cram school." Which is like tutoring, outside of school, and just about every junior and senior high school student in Taipei attends one. When I don't have plans with friends, I head home for the night. I arrive home at around seven and I am home alone for about an hour before my host mother comes home from work. We always eat dinner together, and every night we have a mini Chinese lesson over our meal. My host sister arrives home from cram school at about nine. While she is eating dinner and telling her mom about her day, I take my shower. Then, I talk to my sister until my host dad gets home from work; usually around ten. Unless it is a Friday, I spend about ten minutes with my entire host family after my host father gets home before I go to bed.
I think of everything, and everyone back home at least once everyday. I miss all of it; but as I become more accustomed to my life in Taiwan, I love that I am here. Whatever void I could possibly ever think of, is filled here. For some reason, I just fit. It feels right for me to be here, now. 11,649 miles from home, never happier. As I grow into Taiwan, I feel like I grow into myself. The person I want to be; who I am. Until next month, 再見。
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